What Is The Capital Of Lithuania?

Where Is Lithuania?

The European country of Lithuania is located in the Baltic region where it encompasses an area of 65,300 square km. The country has a population of 2.8 million individuals. Latvia, Poland, and the Kaliningrad Oblast border the country to the north, south, and southwest, respectively. Belarus borders Lithuania to the south and east. Lithuania has a 99 km long coastline on the Baltic Sea to the northeast and east.

What Type of Government Does Lithuania Have?

Lithuania is a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic. Here, the President of Lithuania serves as the head of state of the country. Both the President and the Prime Minister exercise the executive power of the government. The latter is the head of the government. Lithuania has a unicameral legislature called the Seimas. The judiciary of the country is independent of the other two branches of government. The highest judicial organs include the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court, and the Court of Appeal.

What Is the Capital of Lithuania?

Vilnius is Lithuania’s capital city. With an area of 401 square km and a population of 574,147 individuals, it is also the largest city in the country. The city has a population density of 1,392 persons per square km. The city is located at the confluence of the Neris and the Vilnia Rivers in the south-eastern part of the country. The Baltic Sea is located at a distance of about 312 km from the city. The city is well-connected to the other major cities in the country. The city is famous for its green spaces which take up about 68.8% of the total city area. The city experiences a humid continental climate.

History of Vilnius

A settlement existed in the site of the present-day Vilnius as early as the 10th century. It was designated as Lithuania’s capital as early as 1323. The Teutonic Knights destroyed the city in 1377 after which it was rebuilt. Over a period of centuries, Vilnius was annexed by several great powers for varying periods of time. The city was occupied by the Russians, Swedes, and the French. During the two World Wars, the Germans occupied the city and subjected it to significant damage. During the Soviet rule in Lithuania which lasted till 1990, the ethnic Lithuanians were driven out of their homeland in large numbers and replaced by Russians. Lithuania attained its independence from Soviet rule after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Vilnius thus became the capital of independent Lithuania in 1991.

Role of Vilnius as the Capital of Lithuania

The Seimas Palace in Vilnius is the meeting place of the parliament of Lithuania. The city also houses the office of the Prime Minister and the President of Lithuania and other important government offices, ministries, and foreign embassies. The Old Town of Vilnius is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is famous for its historical landmarks and architectural treasures. GaWC studies classified Vilnius as a gamma global city. It is also Lithuania’s major economic center and the wealthiest region in the country.